Effect of Snow Cover on the Active-Layer Thermal Regime – A Case Study from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Permafrost and Periglacial Processes |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ppp.1871 |
| Field | Earth magnetism, geography |
| Keywords | active-layer; ground temperature; snow cover; air temperature; Antarctic Peninsula; active layer thickne |
| Description | The response of active-layer thickness and the ground thermal regime to climatic conditions on the Ulu Peninsula (James Ross Island, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula) in 2011 – 13 is presented. The mean air temperature over this period was – 8.0°C and ground temperature at 5 cm depth varied from – 6.4°C (2011 – 12) to – 6.7°C (2012 – 13). The active-layer thickness ranged between 58 cm (January 2012) and 52 cm (February 2013). Correlation analyses indi- cate that air temperature affects ground temperature more signi fi cantly on snow-free days (R 2 =0.82) than on snow cover days (R 2 = 0.53). Although the effect of snow cover on the daily amplitude of ground temperature was observ- able to 20 cm depth, the overall in fl uence of snow depth on ground temperature was negligible (freezing n -factor of 0.95 – 0.97) |
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